Sk Kharbanda v. Presiding Officer and Others

INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooCWP-7787-1998o(O&M)ooo DateoofoDecision:o22.12.2023o o S.K.oKHARBANDAo o o o o o o o o o o …Petitionero o Versuso THEoPRESIDINGoOFFICER,oLABOURoCOURT,oBATHINDAo ANDoOTHERSo o o o o o o o o oooooooooo…Respondentso o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo Presento:o Mr.oSharwanoSehgal,oAdvocateo forotheopetitioner.o o o Mr.oDeepakoAgnihotri,oAdvocateo fororespondentsoNo.2oando3.o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.oo o Petitionero(S.K.oKharbanda)ohasofiledotheoinstantowritopetitiono underoArticleso226/227oofotheoConstitutionoofoIndia,oseekingoaowritoinotheo natureo ofo certiorario foro quashingo theo impugnedo Awardo datedo 17.10.1997o (Annexureo P-20)o passedo byo theo learnedo Presidingo Officer,o Labouro Court,o Bathinda;o whereby,o theo referenceo ofo theo industrialo disputeo regardingo terminationoofoservicesoofotheopetitionerowasoansweredoagainstohim.o

2.o o Briefly,otheopetitioneroraisedoanoindustrialodisputeobyoservingoao demandonoticeodatedo11.03.1988o(AnnexureoP-4)ouponorespondentsoNo.2otoo 4,o hereino (here-in-aftero referredo too aso `theo respondent-Management').o Subsequently,otheosaidoindustrialodisputeowasoreferredoforoadjudicationotootheo LabouroCourt,oBathindao(here-in-afterocalledoaso`theoLabouroCourt'),oundero theoIndustrialoDisputesoAct,o1947o(here-in-afteroreferredotoo`theo1947oAct').oo

3.o o Inotheoclaimostatement,otheopetitionerostatedothatoheojoinedoasoao Traineeo witho theo respondent-Management,o whicho iso ao pharmaceuticalo company,oono27.02.1987oonowagesoofoRs.1150/-op.m.oandowasopostedoinotheo PharmaoDivision.oItowasostatedothatotheotrainingoperiodoofotheopetitionerowaso ofosixoweeksoonlyoandoheowasopostedoatoFerozepuroCityoono01.06.1987oando waso giveno ano independento chargeo ofo theo areao aso heo waso appointedo aso ao Medicalo Representativeo ofo theo respondent-Company.o Ito waso specificallyo pleadedo byo theo petitionero thato hiso serviceso wereo regularizedo byo theo respondent-CompanyoinotheoregularopayoscaleoofoRs.870-45-2400,ovideolettero datedo02.09.1987o(AnnexureoP-2).oItowasostatedothatotheopetitioneroremainedo postedoatoFerozepuroCityosinceo01.06.1987otillotheodateoofohisoterminationo ordero datedo 15.02.1988.o Ito waso furthero statedo thato theo serviceso ofo theo petitionerowereoappreciatedobyotheorespondentoemployeroandoheowasoalsooao memberoofotheoPunjaboMedicaloRepresentatives'oAssociation.oItoisotheocaseoofo theo petitionero thato ono accounto ofo hiso beingo ao membero ofo theo afore-saido association,otheoManagementobecameoapprehensiveoandohostileotowardsohimo andowasoalwaysoonotheolook-outotoopunishohimoandoaccordingly,otheoserviceso ofotheopetitionerowereoterminatedowithoutoanyorhymeoororeasonoono15.02.1988o inoaomostobiasedoandoarbitraryomanner.oItowasostatedothatotheoobservationso madeoinotheoterminationoorderoregardingounsatisfactoryoperformanceoofotheo workmano waso baseless,o falseo ando malao fide.o Ito waso claimedo thato beforeo terminationoofotheoservicesoofotheopetitioner,onoocharge-sheet,oenquiry,oshow-causeonoticeowasoissuedotoohimoandoneitheroanyoretrenchmentocompensationo wasopaid.oItowasofurtheroclaimedobyotheopetitionerothatotheopersonsojuniorotoo himowereoretainedoinoservice,owhenohisoservicesowereoretrenched;otherefore,oito wasostatedothatotheoterminationoofotheopetitionerowasoagainstotheoprovisionsoofo theo 1947o Act.o Accordingly,o prayero waso madeo foro reinstatemento witho continuityoinoserviceoalongowithofullobackowagesoandootheroconsequentialo benefits.o

4.o o Perocontra,otheoafore-saidoclaimoofotheopetitionerowasocontestedo byotheorespondent-Management,oonotheopleaothatotheopetitionerowasoappointedo onoprobation,opursuantotooCompany'soletterodatedo02.09.1987oandoduringotheo periodo ofo hiso probation,o ito waso foundo thato hiso performanceo waso noto satisfactory,o despiteo havingo beeno giveno variouso opportunitieso too improve,o accordingly,otheoCompanyoterminatedohisoservices,oinoconsonanceowithotheo appointmento letter.o Ito waso clarifiedo thato initially,o theo appointmento ofo theo petitionerowasoforospecifiedoperiodoandoinoviewoofoSectiono2(oo)(bb)oofotheo 1947oAct,oheowasonotoentitledotooanyoretrenchmentocompensation.oItowaso statedo thato theo terminationo ofo theo petitionero waso ino accordanceo witho theo appointmentoletteroandotheosameodoesonotoamountotooretrenchmentounderotheo 1947oAct;otherefore,othereowasonooquestionoofoanyonon-complianceoofoSectiono 25-Foofotheo1947oAct.oo

5.o o Furthero objectiono regardingo jurisdictiono ofo theo Labouro Courto belowowasoalsootaken.oItowasosubmittedothatotheopetitionerohadovoluntarilyo acceptedotheotermsoandoconditionsoofohisoemploymentoandohisoservicesowereo broughto too ano endo ino accordanceo witho theo saido terms.o Ono merits,o ito waso reiteratedothatotheopetitionerojoinedotheorespondent-CompanyoasoaoTraineeoono aostipendoofoRs.1150/-op.m.oTheopleaoofotheopetitionerothatoheowasogiveno independentochargeoasoaoMedicaloRepresentativeowasodenied.oItowasostatedo thatotheopetitionerowasotakenoasoaotraineeoandoonotheoexpiryoofotheotrainingo period,oheowasoemployedoonoprobationobutosinceohisoperformanceoduringotheo periodo ofo probationo waso noto foundo satisfactory,o heo waso terminatedo fromo service.oItowasostatedothatotheoafore-saidofactowasobroughtotootheonoticeoofotheo petitioneroperiodicallyoandoevenopersonalocounsellingowasogiven,ohowever,oheo dido noto showo anyo improvement;o whereupon,o theo respondent-Companyo terminatedohisoservices.oTheoallegationoofotheopetitionerothatotheomanagemento hado becomeo apprehensiveo ando hostileo againsto himo ono accounto ofo hiso becomingo ao Membero ofo theo Association,o waso alsoo denied.o Accordingly,o prayerowasomadeoforodismissaloofotheoclaimopetition.oo

6.o o Onotheobasisoofotheopleadingsoofotheoparties,otheofollowingoissueso wereoframedobyotheolearnedoLabouroCourtobelowo:-o "1.o Whethero thiso courto haso noto goto territorialo jurisdictionoasopleadedoinotheowrittenostatement.o

2.oo Whethero Shrio S.K.o Kharbandao doeso noto comeo withinotheodefinitionoofoworkmanoasopleadedoinotheowritteno statement.o

3.oo Whethero Shrio S.K.o Kharbandao estoppedo fromo raisingotheodisputeobyohisoactoandoconductoasopleadedoinotheo writtenostatement.o

4.oo Whethero theo terminationo ofo serviceso ofo theo workmanoisojustifiedoandoinoorder?o

5.oo Relief."o

7.o o Aftero consideringo theo relevanto material/evidenceo availableo ono theo record,o theo learnedo Labouro Courto belowo haso answeredo theo referenceo againstotheopetitionerobyoholdingothatotheopetitioneroisonotoentitledotooanyo relief.o

8.o o Inotheoafore-mentionedocircumstances,otheopetitionerohasofiledo theoinstantowritopetitionobeforeothisoCourt.o

9.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerohasoarguedothatotheolearnedo LabouroCourtobelowohasoerredoinolawoandofactoinorejectingotheoclaimoofotheo petitioner.oItoisosubmittedothatotheolearnedoLabouroCourtohasonotoconsideredo theo material/evidenceo availableo ono theo recordo ino itso righto perspective.o Learnedo counselo furthero submitso thato theo petitionero waso appointedo aso ao Medicalo Representativeo ando hiso serviceso wereo regularizedo ando duringo theo serviceoofotheopetitioner,oheowasogivenoappreciationsoasowell.oHowever,otheo servicesoofotheopetitionerowereoterminatedobyoobservingothatohisoperformanceo waso noto satisfactory.o Ito iso submittedo thato ato theo timeo ofo terminationo ofo servicesoofotheopetitioner,otheoprovisionsoofo1947oActowasonotocompliedowith.o Accordingly,o ito iso prayedo thato theo impugnedo Awardo beo quashedo ando appropriateodirectionsobeoissuedofororeinstatingotheopetitioneroalongowithoallo consequentialobenefits.oo

10.o o Ono theo othero hand,o learnedo counselo appearingo foro theo respondent-ManagementosubmittedothatotheolearnedoLabouroCourtobelowohaso passedoaowell-reasonedoandojustifiedoAward,owhichodoesonotocalloforoanyo interferenceo byo thiso Court.o Ito iso submittedo thato theo learnedo Labouro Courto belowo haso consideredo theo relevanto termso ando conditionso ofo theo appointment/engagementoofotheopetitioneroandotakenoaonoteoofotheofactothato theopetitionerowasoonoprobationowhenohisoservicesowereoterminatedoasohiso performanceowasonotosatisfactory.oAccordingly,otheoprayerohasobeenomadeoforo dismissaloofotheowritopetition.o

11.o o Iohaveoconsideredotheorivalocontentionsoofotheolearnedocounselo forotheopartiesoandoalsooperusedotheopaper-bookowithotheiroableoassistance.o

12.o o Theo issueo pertainingo too terminationo ofo serviceso ofo theo probationero iso noo moreo reso integrao aso theo sameo standso settledo byo ano authoritativeo judgmento renderedo byo theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto ino Unito TrustoofoIndiaoovsooT.oBijayaoKumaro1993(2)oS.C.T.o63,owherein,ooitohasobeenoo heldoasoundero:-o o o "3.o Weohaveoextractedotheoorderoofoterminationo GURPREET KAUR passedoagainstotheofirstorespondentoono29thoOctober,o1985o whichoisoex-facieoanoorderoofodischargeosimplicitor.oItoiso evidento fromo theo factso placedo ono recordo thato aso theo performanceo ofo theo firsto respondento waso noto foundo too beo satisfactory,oheowasoinformedoaboutotheosameobyotheolettero ofo15thoMay,o1985,owithoaoviewotoogivingohimoanoopportunityo tooshowoimprovement.oTheoprobationoperiodowas,otherefore,o extendedo byo anothero sixo monthso too enableo himo too doo so.o Unfortunately,otheosubsequentoassessmentoreportoshowsothato heodidonotoshowoanyoimprovementoinoperformanceoandowaso noto suitedo foro theo jobo ando henceo theo Managemento waso constrainedotooterminateohisoservices.oTheofirstorespondento contendsobeforeousothatotheoimpugnedoorderoisopenaloando stigmaticoinocharacteroandospringsofromobiasoonotheopartoofo officersoofotheoappellant-Trust.oInosupportoofohisocontentiono heohasoplacedorelianceoonotheocaseolawowhichowasoplacedo beforeotheoHighoCourt.oWeohaveocarefullyoconsideredothiso submissionoofotheofirstorespondentobutoweoareoafraid,oweodoo noto findo anyo materialo ono recordo too concludeo thato theo impugnedoorderosmacksoofobiasooroisoinoanywayomalaofide.o Asostatedoearlierofromotheolanguageoofotheoorder,oweodoonoto thinkothatoanyostigmaoattachesotootheofirstorespondent.oIno fact,otheoManagementoshowedosensitivityoinonotostatingotheo reasonsoforoterminationoofoserviceobutoinoorderothatotheofirsto respondentomayoknowotheoreasonoforotermination,otheosameo wasoseparatelyocommunicatedotoohimobyoconfidentialolettero ofoevenodate,oi.e.,o29thoOctober,o1985.o o 4.o TheofirstorespondentocontendsothatotheoCourtooughto nototoogoobyotheoplainolanguageoofotheoterminationoorderobuto musto lifto theo veilo too ascertaino theo trueo reasono whicho promptedotheoManagementotooputoanoendotoohisoservice.oWeo haveoexaminedotoobackdropoinowhichothisoorderocameotoobeo passed.o Aso statedo earliero eveno ono closeo scrutinyo ofo theo materialoonorecord,oweoareonotoinoaopositionotoopersuadeo ourselvesotootheoviewobyotheoHighoCourt.oInotheofirstoplaceo thereoisonothingoonorecordotoosupportotheofirstorespondent'so contentiono thato theo ordero sufferso fromo theo viceo ofo bias,o prejudiceo oro malafides.o Secondly,o thereo iso nothingo ino theo orderotooconcludeothatoitoisopenaloorothatoitostigmatisesotheo firstorespondent.oThirdly,otheoreasonowhichoweighedowithotheo Managementowasohisounsuitabilityoforotheojobobasedoonohiso unsatisfactoryo performanceo duringo theo probationo period.o Thisoisoobviousofromotheoofficeonoticeoonowhichotheodecisiono wasotaken.oTheoconfidentialoassessmentoreportsowereocalledo fromodifferentoofficersotooassessohisosuitabilityoforotheojob.o Theo decisiono ono suitabilityo couldo onlyo beo takeno fromo hiso workooroperformanceoduringotheoprobationoperiod.oWeohaveo alsooperusedotheoconfidentialoofficeonoteowhichoprecededotheo decisionotooterminateohisoservicesoandoweoareosatisfiedothato noo considerationo whicho cano beo saido too beo extraneouso oro irrelevanto hado enteredo theo decision-making.o Havingo perusedotheorecordocarefully,oweodoonotothinkothatotheoordero ofoterminationosuffersofromoanyobiasoasoallegedobyotheofirsto respondent.o Ino theo Stateo ofo Orissao v.o Ramo Naryano Das,o

(1961)o1oSCRo606,othisoCourtoheldothatotheoserviceoofoao probationerocanobeoterminatedoinoaccordanceowithotheoruleso becauseoaoprobationerohasonoorightotootheopostoheldobyohim.o Theoveryopurposeoofoplacingoaopersonoonoprobationoisotootryo himoduringotheoprobationoperiodotooassessohisosuitabilityoforo theo jobo ino question.o Ito iso settledo lawo thato ano ordero ofo dischargeo Io noto ano ordero ofo punishmento and,o therefore,o thereo waso noo questiono ofo givingo ao hearingo beforeo terminationo ofo service.o Theo decisionso reportedo Madano MohanoPrasadov.oStateoofoBihar,o1973(1)oSLRo630o(SC),o ShamsheroSinghov.oStateoofoPunjab,o1974(2)oSLRo701o(SC)o ando AnoopoJaiswalov.o Govt.o ofo India,o 1984(1)o SLRo 426o

(SC)odoonototakeoanyodifferentoview.oTheodecisionoinoAjito Singho v.o Stateo ofo Punjab,o 1983(2)o SLRo 1o (SC)o haso noo relevanceooroapplicationotootheofactsoofotheopresentocase.o Theo factso hereo areo simple,o namely,o duringo theo probationo periodo theo performanceo ofo theo firsto respondento waso opportunityotooshowoimprovement.oHenceotheoManagemento wasoconstrainedotooputoanoendotoohisoserviceobyoanoorderoofo dischargeosimplicitor.oWeoare,otherefore,oofotheoviewothato theo Managemento hado actedo withino theo frameworko ofo theo rulesoandolawoandoitsodecisionooughtonototoohaveobeenoupseto byotheoHighoCourt."o

13.o o Comingo too theo instanto case,o theo learnedo Labouro Courto haso returnedotheofollowingofindingso:-o o o "13.o Iohaveogivenomyocarefuloconsiderationoando afterogoingothroughotheorecord,oIofindothatotheoworkmanohado totallyodistortedotheofactsoinotheostatementoofoclaimoasogiveno above.oAsoisobornooutofromotheoinitialoappointmentoofotheo workmanoasoTMR,ohisotrainingoperiodowasoforosixomonthso whichoincludedosixoweeksotrainingoatoHeadoOfficeowhileotheo remainingo trainingo waso giveno too himo ino theo field.o Theo contentionoofotheoworkmanothatohisotrainingoperiodowasoonlyo sixoweeksoisothusototallyofalse.oSimilarlyotheopleaotakenobyo theo workmano thato heo waso giveno independento chargeo ofo Ferozepuro w.e.f.o 1.6.87o alsoo fallso too theo groundo aso accordingotoo theo managemento witnesso Shrio R.G.o Sharma,o MWIo aso wello aso theo documentaryo evidence,o theo initialo trainingoperiodoendedoinotheomonthoofoAugust,o1987.oAgain,o theopleaoofotheoworkmanothatohisoservicesowereoregularisedo w.e.f.o1.9.87oisoequallyobaselessoasothereoisonoosucholettero issuedobyotheomanagementoinohisofavour.oOnotheootherohand,o theomanagementohasoissuedotheoappointmentoletteroofotheo workmano aso Medicalo Representativeo ono probationo foro ao periodoofosixomonths.oOutoofotheoallegedoappreciationoletterso Ex-W/1otooEx-W/7,otheolettersoEx.W/1otooEx-W/4oreferotoo weeklyo reportso submittedo byo theo workmano too theo managemento ando ato theo sameo timeo theo lettero Ex-W/5o dt.o

14.1.88oandoanotheroletteroEx-W/6odt.o10.2.88orelatesotootheo methodso foro boostingo theo saleo ofo theo producto ofo theo company.oTheoletteroEx-W/7odt.o14.11.1987oonowhichotheo learnedo representativeo ofo theo workmano haso laido mucho emphasisotoosuggestothatotheomanagementowasoannoyedowitho Uniono Activitieso ofo theo workman,o iso alsoo baselesso aso theo workmanohasonotoproducedoanyodocumentaryoevidenceoino supportoofohisobeingoactiveomemberoofoPMRAomucholessoofo hiso beingo ao treasurero aso deposedo byo him.o Ino fact,o theo languageo ofo theo lettero Ex-W/7o too showo thato ito waso noto particularlyomeantoforotheoworkmanowhereasoitoappearsotoo haveobeenoissuedotooallotheoMedicaloRepresentatives.o o o 14.o Provedly,otheoworkmanowasoonoprobationoforo aoperiodoofosixomonthsow.e.f.o1.9.87oandotheoperiodoofohiso probationo waso governedo witho theo appointmento lettero Ex-W/2.oTheomanagementowitnessoShrioR.G.oSharmaoasoalreadyo pointedooutoabove,ohasodeposedoinoclearotermsothatotheoworko ofotheoworkmanoduringoprobationowasonotosatisfactoryoando theoworkmanohadofailedotooimproveouponohisoworkodespiteo counsellingo ino theo workshopo meetingso aso wello aso duringo fieldo workingo witho theo company'so Executive.o Theo witnesso alsoodeposedothatoheousedotoobeopresentoinotheomeetingowheno counsellingousedotoobeodone.oAllothis,ogootooshowothatotheo managemento witnesso waso clearo ando specifico thato theo workmanohadofailedotooimproveohisoworkoduringoprobation.o Itomayobeopointedooutothatotheoworkmanohadonotoquestionedo theomanagementowitnessoonotheseomaterialoquestions.oTheo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto ino Unito Trusto ofo Indiao v/so T.o Bijayakumaro&oanotheroreferredoaboveobyotheomanagemento hasoheldoasoundero:-o "Theofactsoareosimple,onamely,oduringotheoprobationo periodo theo performanceo ofo theo probationero waso watchedo ando waso noto foundo too beo satisfactory,o despiteo heo havingo beeno giveno ano opportunityo too showo improvement.o Henceo theo managemento waso constrainedotooputoanoendotoohisoserviceobyoanoordero ofodischargeosimpliciter.oThusotheomanagementohado actedowithinotheoframeoworkoofotheorules."o o o Similarly,o ino K.V.o Krishnamanio v/so Lalito Kalao Academy'so caseo (supra)o theo Hon'bleo Supremeo Courto haso heldo thato theo veryo objecto ofo theo probationo iso too testo theo suitabilityo ando ifo theo appointingo authorityo findso thato theo candidateo iso noto suitable,o ito certainlyo haso powero too terminateotheoservicesoofotheoemployee.oTheosameoauthorityo wasoalsoofollowedobyotheoHon'bleoHighoCourtoinoBuschingo Schmitzo(P)oLtd:oV/soShivoDuttoSharmao&oanothero(referredo above)o whereo theoordero ofoterminationo ofo servicesoofotheo workmanowasoheldovalidoasothereowasodeteriorationoinotheo performanceo ofo hiso worko duringo theo extendedo periodo ofo probation.o o o InoalmostoinoaosimilarocaseoreferredoasoSatoPalov/so Associateo Viceo President,o Humano Resources,o Swarajo FoundaryoDivisiono&oanothero,o1991oFJRo250,otheoHon'bleo HighoCourtoheldoasoundero:-o o o "oTheoterminationoofoserviceoofoaoprobationeroino pursuanceoofoaoclauseoinotheoserviceoagreementoduringotheo periodo ofo probationo foro unsatisfactoryo worko ando conducto wouldofallowithinotheoexceptionoprovidedounderoclauseo(bb)o ofo Sectiono 2(oo)o ofo theo Industrialo Disputeso Act,o 1947,o definingo `retrenchment'.o Therefore,o theo provisionso ofo Sectiono25-FoofotheoActowillonotobeoattractedotoosuchoaocaseo eveno ifo theo probationero haso employedo foro ao continuouso periodoofooneoyear."o o o 15.o Similarly,o theo Hon'bleo Allahabado Higho CourtoinocaseoMissoAnamikaoSharmaov/soResidentoDirector,o Mansao Sthali,o Bareillyo ando others,o 1997-IIo LLJo 507o haso heldo thato ito iso noto foro theo courto too assesso theo worko ando conductoofotheopetitioneroasoaoprobationer.o o o 16.o Inothisocase,otheoterminationoofoservicesoofo theoworkman,owhoowasoaoprobationer,oinopursuanceoofotheo serviceoagreementoEx-M/2,otherefore,ocouldofallowithinotheo exceptionoofoclauseo(bb)oofoSectiono2(oo)oofotheoIndustrialo Disputeso Act,o 1947o ando wouldo thuso noto attracto theo provisionsoofoSectiono25-FoofotheoAct.o o o 17.o BeforeoIoconclude,oIomayopointooutothatotheo authorityo reliedo byo theo representativeo ofo theo workmano ino caseoSyedoAzamoHussiniov/soTheoAndhraoBankoLtd.oisonoto applicableo ono theofactsoandocircumstanceso ofotheo presento case,oasotheoorderoofoterminationoofoserviceoofotheoworkmano passedo ino thato caseo waso noto ino confirmityo witho theo provisionso ofo Sectiono 40o ando 41o ofo theo Andhrao Pardesho ShopsoandoCommercialoEstablishmentoAct,o1966oasoundero sectiono 40o theo employero waso boundo too showo reasonableo causeoforotheoterminationoofoservicesoofotheoappellant.o o o 18.o Inoviewoofotheoforegoingodiscussions,oIoholdo thatotheoorderoofoterminationoofoservicesoofotheoworkmano wasojustifiedoandoinoorderoandotheoworkmanoisoalsooestoppedo tooraiseotheodisputeobyothisoactoandoconduct.oBothotheoissueso areoheldoinofavouroofotheomanagement.o RELIEFo:o o o 19.o InoviewoofomyofindingsoonoissuesoNo.3o&o4o above,otheoreferenceoisoansweredoinotheoaffirmativeoholdingo thatotheoworkmanoisonotoentitledotooanyorelief.oHowever,onoo orderoasotoocosts."o o

14.o o FromotheofindingsoreturnedobyotheoLabouroCourtobelow,oitoiso evidentothatovideoletterodatedo27.02.1987,otheopetitionerowasoappointedoasoao Traineeo ando theo periodo ofo trainingo waso statedo too beo sixo monthso w.e.f.o

23.02.1987.o Ito iso furthero borno outo thato initially,o sixo weekso in-companyo trainingo waso too beo giveno ato theo Heado Officeo ando theno thereo waso ao fieldo trainingoandowhileoonotraining,otheopetitionerowasotoobeopaidoconsolidatedo stipendo ofo Rs.1150/-o p.m.o (allo inclusive).o Aso pero letterodatedo 02.09.1987,o governingotheoconditionsoofoserviceoofotheopetitioner,otheopetitionerowasotooobeo onoprobationoforoaoperiodoofosixomonthsofromotheodateoofohisoappointmentoando theo saido periodo couldo beo furthero extendedo ato theo discretiono ofo theo management.oClauseso6oando7oofotheotermsoandoconditionsoofoserviceoofotheo petitioneroreadsoasoundero:-o o o "(6)o Duringo theo periodo ofo probation,o includingo anyoextensionothereof,oyouroserviceomayobeoterminatedobyo theo companyo withouto noticeo ando withouto assigningo anyo reasonoandoinosuchocaseoyouowillobeoentitledoonlyotootheo salaryoearnedobyoyououptootheodateoofosuchotermination.o o o (7)o Ato theo endo ofo theo probationaryo period,o providedoyouroservicesohaveobeenosatisfactoryotoousoando subjectotooreconfirmationoofoyouromedicalofitnessoatothato timeo byo youro Medicalo Officer,o youro appointmento willo beo confirmedoinowriting.oUnlessosooconfirmedoinowriting,oyouo willocontinueotoobeoonoprobation."o

15.o o Therefore,osinceotheopetitionerowasoonoprobationoforoaoperiodoofo sixomonthsow.e.f.o01.09.1987oandotheoperiodoofoprobationowasogovernedobyo hisoappointmentolettero(ExhibitoW/2)oandotheoperformanceoofotheopetitionero havingobeeno noto foundo satisfactory,o theoManagementowaso wello withino itso rightotooterminateohisoservices,obeingoaoprobationer.oAccordingly,oconsideringo theo legalo positiono indicatedo above,o theo terminationo ofo serviceso ofo theo petitionero(beingoaoprobationer)oisoinoconsonanceowithotheoconditionsoofohiso engagement/appointmentoandotheosameowouldonotofallowithinotheoambitoofo retrenchment;oaccordingly,othereoisonooquestionoofotheoapplicabilityoofotheo provisionsoofoSectiono25-Foofotheo1947oAct.o

16.o o Further,olearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerowasoalsoocalledoupono tooindicateoanyoletter/document,oevidencingothatotheoservicesoofotheopetitionero wereoregularizedouponosuccessfulocompletionoofoprobationoperiod;ohowever,o noosuchodocumentowasopointedooutobyohim.o

17.o o Furthermore,otheoparametersoforoexerciseoofojurisdictionobyotheo HighoCourtounderoArticleo226oofotheoConstitutionoofoIndiaoinocasesoinvolvingo challengeotootheoawardopassedobyotheoLabouroCourt/IndustrialoTribunaloando ordersopassedobyootherojudicialoandoquasi-judicialobodiesoareowellodefined.oAo writo ofocertiorariocano beo issuedo foro correctingo errorso ofo jurisdictiono committedobyoinferioroCourtsooroTribunals.oAowritocanoalsoobeoissuedowhereo inoexerciseoofojurisdictionoconferredoonoit,otheoCourtoorotheoTribunaloactso illegallyo oro improperlyo i.e.o ito decideso ao questiono withouto givingo ano opportunityo too beo heardo too theo partyo affectedo byo theo ordero oro whereo theo procedureo adoptedo byo ito iso opposedo too theo principleso ofo naturalo justice.o However,oitomustobeorememberedothatotheojurisdictionoofotheoHighoCourtotoo issueoaowritoofocertiorarioisoaosupervisoryojurisdictionoandonotoappellateoone.o ThisonecessarilyomeansothatotheofindingoofofactoreachedobyotheoinferioroCourto oroTribunal,oasoaoresultoofotheoappreciationoofoevidence,ocannotobeoreopenedo oroquestionedoinowritoproceedingsoexceptowhenotheojudgment,oorderooroawardo suffersofromoanoerroroofolawoapparentoonotheofaceoofotheorecord.oThisoisotheo abstractostatementoofolaw,obutotheovexedoquestionoisoasotoowhatoisoanoerroroofo lawoapparentoonotheofaceoofotheorecordoandoinowhatocircumstancesoaofindingoofo factorecordedobyoanoinferioroCourtooroTribunalooroaoquasi-judicialoauthorityo canobeocorrected.oBroadlyospeaking,oanoerroroofolawoisooneowhichocanobeo discoveredo ono ao bareo readingo ofo theo judgment,o ordero oro awardo undero challengeoalongowithotheodocumentsowhichohaveobeenoreliedouponobyotheo inferioroCourt,oTribunalooroquasi-judicialoauthority.oAnoerror,otheodiscoveryo ofowhichoisopossibleoonlyoafteroaodetailedoscrutinyoofotheoevidenceoproducedo byotheopartiesoandolengthyodebateoatotheobarocannotobeoregardedoasoanoerroroofo lawoforotheopurposeoofoaowritoofocertiorari.oAofindingoofofactorecordedobyoano inferioro Courto oro Tribunalo cano beo correctedo onlyo ifo ito iso showno thato ino recordingotheosaidofindingotheoCourtoorotheoTribunalohadoerroneouslyorefusedo too admito admissibleo ando materialo evidenceo oro hado erroneouslyo admittedo inadmissibleoevidenceoandotheosameohasoinfluencedotheoimpugnedofinding.o Similarly,oaofindingoofofactobasedoononooevidenceowouldobeoregardedoasoano erroro ofo lawo whicho cano beo correctedo byo ao writo ofocertiorari.o However,o sufficiencyooroadequacyoofotheoevidenceoreliedouponobyotheoinferioroCourtooro Tribunalo oro theoquasi-judicialoauthorityo cannoto beo goneo intoo byo theo Higho Courto whileo consideringo theo prayero foro issueo ofo ao writo ofocertiorari.o Likewise,o theo mere,o possibilityo ofo formingo ao differento opiniono ono re-o appreciationoofoevidenceobyotheopartiesoisonotosufficientoforoissueoofoaowrito ofocertiorarioSyedoYakoobo v.o K.S.o Radhakrishnanoando others,o AIRo 1964o Supremeo Courto 477;oShaikho Mahammado Umarsahebo v.o Kadalaskaro Hashamo Karimsabo ando others,o AIRo 1970o Supremeo Courto 61;oooooooooooooooooo Jitendrao Singho Rathoro v.o Sh.o Baidyanatho Ayurvedo Bhawano Ltd.o ando another,oAIRo1984oSupremeoCourto976;oR.S.oSainiov.oStateoofoPunjaboando others,o 1999(4)o RCRo (Civil)o 253o (SC)o :o J.T.o 1999(6)o S.C.o 507oandooooooooooooooooo Mohd.oShahnawazoAkhtaroandoanotherov.oIstoA.D.J.oVaranasioandoothers,o J.T.o2002(8)oS.C.o69.o

18.o o Consideringo theo totalityo ofo circumstanceso ino theo lighto ofooooooooooooooo above-saido legalo principles,o thereo iso noo scopeo foro anyo interferenceo ino theo findings/AwardorenderedobyotheolearnedoLabouroCourtobelow.oResultantly,o theoinstantopetitionofailsoandotheosameoisodismissed.oo

19.o o Allopendingoapplication/s,oifoany,oshalloalsoostandoclosed.o o Decembero22,o2023o o o o o (HARSHoBUNGER)o gurpreeto o o o o o o o JUDGEo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/No